Canberra's police will shift their main focus from booze-fuelled violence to domestic abuse in the coming year under a new deal with the ACT government.
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Police Minister Joy Burch outlined a new set of expectations that focused firmly on preventing domestic violence and improving road safety.
Ms Burch issued the new ministerial direction when she signed the 2015-16 purchase agreement with Australian Federal Police Commissioner Andrew Colvin and ACT police chief Rudi Lammers on Wednesday.
Ms Burch said the new priorities were part of the territory's multi-pronged approach to stamp out domestic and family violence.
"When you look at the statistics for violence against women, one in three women will experience sexual or physical violence.
"That's an extraordinary statistic that any community, any society, cannot tolerate.
"We as a whole community, government, police, every single citizen in this community, has a responsibility to stand up and stop violence against women and children."
ACT police chief Rudi Lammers said the directive provided renewed focus for police on family violence matters.
"We're seeing an increase in reporting of family violence and to my mind that's a good thing. It means people are no longer frightened to come forward and report incidents of family violence.
"Our hope is that with what we do right now over a period of years, that the actual incidence of family violence goes down or is eliminated altogether."
The ACT government pledged $250,000 for three key domestic violence services and $600,000 for school education on respectful relationships in Tuesday's budget.
Police will also continue to crack down on dangerous driving and will focus particularly on road safety near the territory's schools.
The directive showed a change in priorities for police after two years of focusing on alcohol-related violence.
Assistant Commissioner Lammers said there had been significant reductions in booze-fuelled attacks in Civic, and police would continue to focus on entertainment precincts around Canberra.
"There will be no reduction of police presence in and around the CBD.
"In fact, the community will see an increased police presence in our hotspots and in and around the CBD."
Assistant Commissioner Lammers used the signing to reiterate the government's pledge that front-line police officers in the ACT would not be affected by looming job cuts.
The ACT opposition last month urged the territory government to reinstate $15 million in savings to the territory's police force, amid growing fears that positions would be cut in coming months.
Assistant Commissioner Lammers said the "modest reduction in funding" wouldn't affect any programs or lead to any reduction in front-line staff.
